MORE than 300 people lined the route through Newbridge town centre to mark the annual Armed Forces Day parade and service.

Services' veterans and cadets were among those who paraded the short distance from the bottom of the High Street to the war memorial outside the Memorial Hall, greeted along the route by bursts of spontaneous applause.

Thirteen standards were borne - including several from branches of the Royal British Legion - during the event, which also involved members of 203 Welsh Field Hospital, the Blackwood branch of the Royal Welsh Comrades Association, and the Royal Naval Association.

As part of the ceremony, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Gwent Fiona Peel read two poems - What I Miss Most and May 82 - about aspects of the Falklands War, by former soldier James Love, who served in the conflict.

Newbridge School pupils Eve Tranter and Lewis Ryan also recited a poem, called Flanders, and written by Steve Pennells, the chairman of Gwent County Royal British Legion.

Among other readings were lines from the famous section of Laurence Binyon's poem For The Fallen, beginning "They shall not grow old..."

The Last Post was sounded too, and a silence observed.

The Newbridge event was among several to be held in Wales this weekend, but Armed Forces Day officially falls next Saturday, June 27, when a number of other commemorations will take place.

For more information, visit www.armedforcesday.org.uk